How quickly things can go wrong- by Carey Haupt RD(SA)

Posted: 26-10-2014

Now that we are spending our weekends outside in the garden and soon in the pool, I felt that I should share with you a terrifying moment that happened in my family’s life, that luckily was just a moment. This is just to make you aware of how easy your life can change and how easy things can go wrong.

We recently moved back home after spending time in Canada. Our children love being in our garden and just spending time exploring the flower beds. We, as many South Africans have a pool. Our tenants did not have children and therefore did not use the pool net. I am a bit paranoid about the pool and net so the first thing my husband and I did was find the net and safely secure it over the pool. Little was I to know that this exercise in the 15- 20 minutes were possibly some of the most important minutes of our son’s life.

It is terrifying how quickly your life can change or not in a simple moment. Helen, our youngest had a potty training disaster and needed a bath. I checked on Martin and he was happily watching Ice Age. So will all the tears and sadness that Helen has when a potty disaster happens, l bathed and dried her. While I am dressing her Martin walked into the room and asked me for another pair of shoes. "Why my boy" I ask half listening as I am trying to tame a tiger into her PJ's. Martin "Cause I fell in the pool." My heart went cold in fact it stopped. I have never hugged him so hard and been so grateful he was ok. I never heard a thing. It could have all gone so differently if the net had not been secured.

I can’t believe how lucky we are to not have had a major disaster that day. As I write this I realise how different my life would be today and always if we never had a pool net. This has also made me reflect on the importance on first aid and CPR training. Would you know what to do if your child did have a near drowning experience? Have you had CPR or first aid training? I hope that you would never need it but if you did you may save a life.